


The Other 10%

by MuscleMemory



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Demons, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Malec Secret Santa 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 10:19:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9067438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuscleMemory/pseuds/MuscleMemory
Summary: An ominous amount of demons attack the city, Shadowhunters and Downworlders fight them together, Magnus saves everyone but gets lethally hurt.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iloveyoursmile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveyoursmile/gifts).



> Written for the Malec Secret Santa on Tumblr, my backup story. There's some gore and fighting.

Snow flurries and ice chunks, some as big as table tennis balls, are whipping against their faces and bodies as they’re rushing through the dark streets, sure-footed despite the snow storm and sleet raining down on them, a few wolves that joined them leading the way, their eyesight best.

The call came sudden, out of nowhere after weeks of calm and quiet and some of them having become a little complacent, others, like Jace, downright antsy with not enough to do. 

He meets his sister’s determined eyes, a tiny smile grazing her lips as she’s running at his left side. He looks to his right where Clary’s keeping up, a fierceness in her eyes that makes his chest swell a little with pride, the three of them having been training exceedingly in those quiet weeks. 

His eyes focus on the two tall figures joining them next to Clary, unsurprising to him as he felt his parabatai’s proximity before he could lay eyes on him.

“Nice of you to join us!” Jace shouts towards Alec and Magnus, wiping an icy strand of hair from his eye, feeling just a little regretful in their place as he knows the call disrupted their date night, yet they lost no time and from the way they look, clad in all dark and warm clothes, an outsider would think they were expecting it. Magic sure is a wonderful thing, Jace thinks as he smirks at them and fastens his pace, inciting the others to follow. 

Alec nods at Jace and Izzy before meeting Magnus’ golden cat orbs, his body already brimming with pent-up magic, craving to be released. It’s a sight Alec won’t ever forget - or grow tired of witnessing - as he feels his own body charging with energy, his senses sharp and lethal, and the excitement of fighting side by side with his parabatai and the most powerful man he’s ever known, who he adores and admires, filling him with a special kind of heat incomparable to any other. 

Magnus shows a wicked, little smirk eliciting Alec to smile - this certainly wasn’t the plan tonight, but they will make the best of it, and there is always time after the fight.

A couple of shadowhunters out on patrol were attacked by half a dozen Kuri demons that appeared suddenly, attacking viciously. They managed to kill them but were wounded, calling for backup as more demons scattered the streets. 

_ Maybe they’re curious about Christmas _ , was Izzy’s answer as they quickly gathered their weapons, informing Luke and Raphael about the demon sightings.

No matter the reason, they need to reign them in before they can do serious damage. 

As they reach the outskirts where werewolves and vampires are already fighting, having pushed the demons back for now, they waste not a second.

There are Kuri, Moloch, Kappa and Shax demons, a few shapeshifters completing the mix, and the five of them march right in. 

Clary takes up the left flank where she spotted Luke and Jocelyn, her seraph blade glowing as she strikes down a demon without hesitation, but with strength and accuracy. Isabelle joins the middle where Simon, Raphael, and other vampires and wolves are fighting, her whip cracking, her blade glowing, promising danger as she runs, jumps, slices her blade through one demon while her whip traps another who turns into sparkling ashes a moment later. 

Jace, Alec and Magnus needn’t communicate. The parabatai’s movements mirror each other as they stride forward, Jace’s blade glowing like the rest of them, his expression fierce, yet calm, joy and sureness sparking in his eyes, made for sending the creatures back to hell. 

Alec stands back a little, his face a mask of concentration, arrows flying, exceeding speeds no normal eyes could see. His eyes, sharper than an eagle’s, scanning the area, spotting possible threats and terminating them at once, knowing where and how Jace is without having to try, aware of Magnus in a different way, his aura prickling under Alec’s skin, the power radiating through him without being next to him, he’s become so very aware of him, trusts him unconditionally and just knowing he’s there gives him a sense of security and invincibility he’s not known before.

Magnus stands at the edge of the fighting area, eyes blazing gold and black, his arms moving, stretching, blue flames streaming from his hands, enveloping his friends and allies fast, protecting them, as well as glamouring the area to shield them from mundane eyes. A snap of his fingers and Alec’s arrows are spitting fire as they slice through more demons, Alec turning his head a fraction to shoot him a smile as Magnus takes up fighting beside him, making sure no demon could attack from behind, as well as supporting the right flank where Maia and others are fighting. 

Many minutes pass and they’re slaying demons left, right and center, with more shadowhunters arriving and joining them, and usually they would have killed them all by now, yet more keep coming and as strength slowly leaves some, concentration wavers, injuries occur and Luke sends members of his pack away before they get killed or become a risk for others. 

Raphael shares a look with Magnus who leaves Alec’s side, five demons next to them bursting into ashes as a fireball from Magnus’ hand hits them. His lips brush Alec’s cold, wet cheek before he’s gone to help his friend out, knowing Alec doesn’t need an explanation. 

The shadowhunter steps back further, arrows flying in a half circle in breathtaking succession, hitting their targets perfectly every time. He feels Jace in distress, his body leaping around to fire three arrows at once, hitting three demons, giving Jace space to fight off the other two on his own. 

Alec’s eyes are running over everyone, worry coiling in the pit of his stomach as he needn’t count to know that they’re outnumbered and the demon count seems to still increase.  _ Where are you bastards coming from?  _ They’ll have to find out later. 

His head whips around to where Magnus is rounding up rows of demons, pushing them together, Alec’s arrow slicing through one row, while Magnus’ magic blast takes out the others. 

They share a fond look and Alec would have loved to spend a moment longer watching Magnus’ stunning battle form, but more demons approaching the area draw both their attention away from each other.

Magnus’ mind is reeling, trying to simultaneously figure out where all these demons are coming from exactly, and who may have helped them, and determining the most efficient solution to get rid of them. 

They’re all still standing strong. His eyes brush over Clary, Luke and Jocelyn, fighting side by side, not far Izzy, Jace and Raj are picking off demon after demon, he spots Alaric with other wolves, shadowhunters and vampires and Simon, Maia and Raphael on his other side, making up an efficient and lethal trio. And Alec’s arrows keep seering through the wind and snow as if through a clear blue sky. 

But he knows their reserves are dwindling, time coming up to an hour now, and he can feel his own magic quieten down. But he has enough left, enough to… he suddenly focuses on one movement, one distorted figure in the distance behind them, his eyes sharpening, zooming in. Vermithrall. 

His pupils blow wide with surprise and concern, flames dancing along his fingers unnerved as he spins around, taking everyone in once more in a split second, coming quickly to a conclusion. This needs to end now. 

He’s faster than Alec can see when he appears by his boyfriend’s side, whispering into his ear. Alec is surprised, yet reacts immediately, locates the worm demon and finishes it off with two fire arrows while Magnus takes post behind everyone again, his voice bellowing in their minds through every noise and distraction.  _ EVERYONE GET DOWN NOW! _

Most of his friends and allies get the hint immediately and hit the ground, while Alec’s shooting more demons to make sure they won’t get to anyone, shouting at a few others to follow suit before he drops into the icy mud himself.

Magnus summons all of his remaining power into one ferocious attack, his eyes flaring, the air around him moving, charging up and sizzling, the weather unable to even touch him now. 

His movements are lightning fast and meticulous, and the ground quivers as he releases the mighty torrent of magic, watching as it floods the area, wafting just above people on the ground without touching a hair on their heads, demolishing every last demon in its path. 

_ Almost every last.  _ One worm had already left its host when Alec shot it, crawling its way undetected to the warlock, sharp teeth slicing through clothes and skin, biting on to his lower back just next to his hip. 

Alec hears Magnus’ outcry and forgets to even check whether it’s safe to get up as he jumps to his feet and runs to where Magnus fell to his knees, his back and neck unnaturally strained, his hand trying to grasp the worm that’s boring itself into his body with fatal speed. He rips off part of it but the worm’s other half lives on as if nothing happened, goring further into his flesh.

“Magnus?!” Alec’s staring in shock, feeling numb with white-hot panic, unable to figure out what to do, how he should help. 

“Cut it out!” Magnus huffs in agony, his teeth clenched, liquid pooling in his eyes, blood dripping from the wound and his eyes meet Alec’s terrified hazel ones, terror and disbelief mixing as he wants to shake his head and scream that he can’t do that but something takes over, something in Magnus’ eyes making him realize that this is the only thing he can do for him and that he may lose him if he doesn’t. 

Panic subsides in an instant making room for calculated, precise action as he grips his blade and cuts deep into the wound, ignoring the way Magnus screams and falls onto his hands as Alec finally finds the worm, pulls and cuts through its head immediately, shaking away the ashes, but then he spots it. Demon ichor is black, but there’s green inside Magnus’ wound and on Alec’s hand. His mind is catapulted back to a memory of Magnus telling him more about demons and what makes them dangerous to warlocks. This Vermithrall was poisonous and it’s spreading inside Magnus now. 

Alec’s paralyzed as he watches Luke grab Magnus and hoist him up while saying something to him but not understanding a word. He doesn’t hear a thing but Magnus’ words.  _ It wouldn’t be wise to get bitten by one, their poison is no joke and would lead to certain death at least 90% of the time for anyone regardless of species. _

He watches as Luke carries him away, others following quickly and he wants to speak, shout, but there’s no sound. His face is suddenly turned, his eyes locking on blue, mixed with brown and he recognizes the hands on his cheeks as Jace’s. 

“Alec, breathe, just breathe, buddy, alright? Breathe!” 

Alec hears the sharp sound of his gasp for air while Jace murmurs soothingly. He breathes deeply a few times before he can speak. “Poison, Magnus is poisoned!” Panic flares up again and he stands, Jace before him instantly, not having let go of his face yet. 

“Alec! We know! They’re taking him to Catarina, she’ll heal him for sure, alright? He’ll be okay!” 

Alec shakes his head distraught,  _ 90% _ is all he can think about. Magnus has a chance of 10% to survive.  _ TEN. _ Almost none. 

Alec starts to shake, or maybe he’s been shaking all along but only notices himself now. His legs are barely keeping him upright, a coldness icier and more dangerous than the weather gripping, threatening to overpower him. 

“Alec!” Alec feels a sting on his cheek now and realizes that Jace slapped him, making him focus again on his parabatai.

“Get it together, Alec! What use are you to Magnus when you end up on a hospital bed? He needs you to be strong now! He needs you to get him through this!” 

Alec stares into those eyes he’d never forget and find again in a billion and finally a sort of calmness takes a hold of him and he breathes again slowly, nods and hugs Jace quickly before running after the others.

* * *

It’s been four days but to Alec, and the others who keep coming to check on Magnus, it feels like half an eternity.

When Catarina learned what happened and saw an unconscious Magnus she called for Ragnor and sent everyone else away sternly, locking Magnus, herself and Ragnor up for a whole day. 

Of course Alec has been staying the whole time, unable to function anyway, hanging on by a thread. Everyone else left now and then, Jace and Izzy checking up on him regularly, keeping their parents and any kind of stress away from him. 

When Catarina finally appeared again, Alec felt like passing out. She looked drained and not very hopeful and he could barely stand it. Ragnor left before Alec could even speak to him, probably feeling as bad or maybe worse than him.

Catarina told him to sit by Magnus and his legs somehow moved to where he is still lying on his front, his back bandaged, the wound filled with - something he already forgot because most things anyone tells him or asks him go over his head, but it’s something to drain out the poison, that much he remembers.

He’s been holding Magnus’ hand, caressing or kissing the knuckles, his face and hair, speaking to him without knowing what to say. He just keeps on talking to have something to focus on, it’s all he can do. He hasn’t cried, though he felt like it almost constantly. He hardly slept, and if, sitting in the same chair he is now, because he wouldn’t leave Magnus’ side. 

At first he jumped at every tiny stir Magnus made, panicking, hoping it was a sign, but nothing happened and now when Magnus’ eyelids flicker, all Alec can do is hope he can’t feel any pain.

Magnus has been feeling excruciating pain for a very long time, though he doesn’t recall in what way time even passes by. It doesn’t feel like the usual way, and time for him feels distorted and often out of place already. All he knows is that he’s not felt this kind of pain before, and that’s a curious thing, also highly inconvenient. He’s sure he’s losing his wits, all he sees is fire or darkness and all he’s aware of his something unnatural - sometimes coursing, sometimes creeping - through his body and he wonders why no one is getting rid of it, why no one is there to take it out of him, why he can’t do it himself.

And then he falls back into darkness, depths he doesn’t want to revisit, having spent too many years of his life there already, but he’s too weak to stir his mind on another path and so he struggles through the memories, wounds getting ripped open, his mind screaming and succumbing to the terrors without a way out, until real darkness, the kind he doesn’t feel or think in, takes him over. 

But sometimes, through all the noise and sorrow and pain, there’s a voice, a whisper floating through his mind, carrying comfort and warmth, making him feel cared for and loved. And when darkness grips him, he remembers the whisper.

He doesn’t see anything, he’s not even sure his eyes are open. But there’s light… real light, not that of pieces of images in his mind, there’s light where he is, and though he doesn’t know where that is, he’s glad it’s not dark. 

There’s also pain, but it’s dulled, a dimmed throbbing in his lower back. Nothing to worry about. What worries him is this heaviness pressing down on him. Is there something atop his body? He can’t see, he can’t move, what’s wrong with his body? What’s wrong with him?

He closes his eyes again, rests them while calming himself, telling himself that the worst thing he could do is panic. When he opens his eyelids once more, things are a little clearer, blurry, but he can make out something… black… a black… fabric… he blinks a few times and then he gets it. He’s lying on something, a bed most likely, and next to him, at eye level, someone is sitting on a chair… his eyes flicker upwards, straining as he can’t move his head, and his heart makes a joyful leap when he recognizes the person. 

No matter why he’s here, as long as Alexander is here too, it must be alright. He pries his lips apart, amazed at how hard the simple movement is, pressing his tongue out to run along the chipped skin. He still feels very strange, and he wishes he could remember… Alec, he was with Alec, they were on a date, he wanted to spend some kind of Christmas with him, give him a special present… but then… demons. Many demons and… pain, that fucking worm! He remembers now. Poison. He got poisoned and… he’s alive, obviously. Of course he wouldn’t die from poison! That would be a death befitting a lesser being, not the son of a prince of hell! 

But he thinks he must have been rather close to dying as abysmal as he feels. And Alec… he’s asleep..? He looks dreadful but beautiful and Magnus gets lost in staring at his face for a few moments.

His limbs, now awake, need to move again, though, and his neck is killing him - he wants to laugh but that seems inappropriate just now. All he wants is just to move his finger, or a toe. And he is very thirsty. 

“Al…” 

His tongue feels too big for his mouth, as if made of cotton. Damnit! Surely he can manage to say one word! 

“Alexa...nnn”

He’s getting frustrated now and his body is twitching uncomfortably, the pain increasing.

“Alexander!” Finally!   


Alec jumps, almost falling off the chair, his eyes bloodshot and wide, his body surging forward immediately. “Magnus? Magnus! Oh my god, oh my god, you’re awake! You’re alive! Magnus, you’re alive!” 

His calloused fingers are running over Magnus’ face frantically, tears suddenly pooling in his eyes, a smile on his lips but his eyes unsure if to fully believe what they’re seeing. 

“I… water.” Magnus is glad Alec’s happy to see him and he wants to tell him that he’s fine, but talking is still a nuisance and the pain is piercing his skull now, making it harder to think clearly.

Alec stares, a million thoughts rushing through his mind, shoved away by just one. “Fuck, yes, of course!” He stands and turns half before turning back abruptly. “No, wait, Catarina left a potion I’m to give you once you wake up!” He remembers now and grabs the small vial, opens it and places the throat of the small bottle in between Magnus’ lips, waiting for him to swallow. 

Magnus is rather glad he remembers how to and hearing his friend’s name eases his mind. He’s at Catarina’s. That explains a lot. Of course. It doesn’t take long until the pain almost fully subsides, again a mere dull throbbing and he feels a little stronger.

“Thank you.” Talking also works better now and he smiles slightly at Alec, his expression softening as he spots the tears running down his boyfriend’s face. He wishes he could touch him, hold him, but he’ll have to wait a little longer…

“Alexander, darling, everything’s going to be alright, I promise.” He hurts now, but it’s the kind of ache he would take any day to be with the man who is now crying into his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, Magnus, I’m so sorry, I should’ve been there to have your back, you saved us all and I wasn’t there.” Alec’s trying to compose himself, reprimanding himself for losing it like this when Magnus is the one who almost died and needs him and his comfort and strength, but somehow he can’t control these fucking tears or sobs shaking his body. 

“Shhh, love, it’s alright, I’m good and you did exactly what I wanted you to do, it all worked out.” But he must have been closer to not waking up than he cares to think about, but now he just wants Alec to stop being sad. 

Alec sits up, dragging his fingers over his face, smearing the tears, wiping his eyes, running a hand through his messy hair. “I don’t know what I… you were just... “ He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment, licking his lips, before looking at Magnus again, taking in his face. “I just… I really don’t want to be without you, Magnus, I really don’t, and I know it’s selfish, and-” 

“Alexander, stop it. You’re not, and even if - that’s the kind of selfishness I want you to be, because I feel the same about you. And you needn’t worry anymore. Not about the poison, and not about being without me.” Magnus tries and succeeds after pushing all of his little strength into his hand that is reaching out, meeting Alec’s halfway, his fingers curling around Alec’s. “You got me.” 

Alec could sob as he sees the genuine fond smile on Magnus’ face, the adoring glimmer in his eyes he’s noticed every time Magnus has looked at him like this. Words fail him and he does the only thing he can do; his lips press against Magnus’, letting them speak for him.

One thought is pushing forward, forcing him to pull back a little. “Next time, I  _ will _ have your back.” He looks adorable to Magnus, sheer determination in his puffy eyes, but also genuity and Magnus sighs softly, his hand coming up to trace Alec's cheekbone. “Next time... let's have each other's backs.”

Alec blinks and a small smile spreads his mouth and sparks in his eyes, he nods firmly before he turns his head to kiss the palm of Magnus' hand, his fingers caressing the back of it. “Promise.”

* * *


End file.
